Will Shields thinks Chiefs offensive line shuffle could cause problems vs Bucs
By Mark Powell
Pro Football Hall of Famer and longtime Chiefs lineman Will Shields raises a good point about Super Bowl 55.
The Chiefs have every right to be confident heading into Super Sunday, but pulling off their second straight championship may be tougher than some prognosticators suggest. Kansas City will be without their best offensive lineman in Eric Fisher, who was placed on injured reserve with an achilles injury.
As one of the best offensive linemen of his era, Will Shields knows just how tough it can be when forced into scramble mode up front — especially before the biggest game of the season.
“You can do it, but it’s ugly. It’s gonna be really tough,” Shields said. “That’s one thing I’ve actually experienced (first-hand). You’re able to play and then someone tells you ‘oh, yeah, you’re going to start at left tackle this week.'”
The Chiefs must adjust on the fly to stop the Bucs pass rush in its tracks
The Bucs pass-rush consists of the likes of Shaquil Barrett, Jason Pierre-Paul and Ndamukong Suh. Those three specifically symbolize the x-factor of Super Bowl 55, as the Bucs will aim to make Patrick Mahomes’ life far more difficult than usual, especially with his limited mobility due to a turf toe injury.
Not to mention, the complicated nature of the Chiefs’ offense makes introducing a new member into the starting offensive line on the fly tougher than it might be for most teams.
“You can make it happen, but you have to get some help here and then,” Shields continued. “You need to have a tight end or fullback chip…plus the way the Chiefs run offense you have to know there’s always a moving piece to it.”
Making Mahomes uncomfortable would go a long way in making Tampa’s Super Bowl dreams a reality. In fact, sitting back defensively isn’t really an option.
Whether the Chiefs win or lose, the underlying story of Super Bowl 55 is that it’ll be won at the line of scrimmage. What else is new?
Shields spoke to FanSided on behalf of Novo Nordisk.